As the cool weather of autumn arrives, coffee drinkers are trading in their iced beverages for hot brews. Local cafe menus are filling up with flavors of the season, and while the pumpkin spice latte is a dead-set tradition, creative alternatives are emerging.
Put down the PSL and explore these original beverages local coffee shops created with fall in mind.
Maple latte at CYM Coffeehouse
5402 NW Eighth Ave.
Real maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg create a dense, buttery flavor that captures the essence of fall. One sip, and you’ll be taken to fall festivals, pumpkin patches and campfires. With a white picket fence and a decorative fireplace, the shop makes you feel at home — all you need is a wool blanket and your favorite book to complete the picture.
Mexican hot chocolate at Karma Cream
1025 W. University Ave.
The zing of cayenne pepper instantly surprises your tongue in this unconventional translation of the traditional hot chocolate. Other ingredients include cinnamon, cocoa powder and a vanilla syrup that gives it sweetness. Every part of the well-crafted hot chocolate tastes intentional and is certifiably organic. For an extra treat, pair it with the shop’s pumpkin spice donut that tastes like it just came out of your grandmother’s kitchen.
S’mores latte at Patticakes
9124 SW 51st Road
Drizzled with Ghirardelli chocolate syrup and garnished with crushed graham crackers and brown sugar, this gourmet latte will satisfy any sweet tooth. It’s as if the best s’more you have ever had melted into a warm, liquid latte. Take your coffee to the shop’s outdoor tables that overlook the turning leaves on trees lining the brick pavement.
Zombie latte at Coffee Culture
2020 NW 13th St.
You’ll instantly be flooded with memories of Halloween nights from the cinnamon aroma that coats the foam. The sweetness of the steamed milk blends together with hints of macadamia nut flavor and seeps into a deep espresso. The intensity of the cinnamon spice outweighs the cream, producing a refined aftertaste.
